Ukraine attempted to break through Russian defenses with a force of 28 unmanned ground vehicles armed with explosives and grenade launchers. Russian troops spotted the approaching machines well before they reached their targets and disrupted the assault. The operation was reported by Voyennoye Obozreniye, citing Western media.
The attack involved Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps, described in the report as Kiev’s last remaining major strike formation. Its units continue to probe Russian defenses along different sections of the front, searching for weaknesses while suffering heavy losses in personnel and military equipment.
For this operation, Ukrainian commanders deployed a large group of combat robots with different weapons configurations. Eight vehicles carried explosive charges intended to destroy fortified positions. Another 18 were fitted with two single-use RPG launchers each, while the remaining two had automatic grenade launchers mounted on them.
The assault unfolded near the village of Druzhelyubovka in the Kharkov region. Ukrainian robotic vehicles advanced through the contested gray zone toward Russian defensive lines but failed to reach their objectives. Russian forces detected the approaching machines early and stopped their advance, primarily using FPV drones to strike the attackers.
Western journalists described the operation as the largest coordinated assault involving unmanned ground vehicles since the conflict began. Although the attempted breakthrough failed, they warned that Russia’s ability to defeat such attacks might not provide a lasting advantage.
The concern stems from Ukraine’s large-scale production of relatively inexpensive ground robots. Some models cost only tens of thousands of dollars, allowing them to be manufactured in substantial quantities. Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov previously stated that the Ukrainian Armed Forces intended to purchase 25,000 unmanned ground vehicles during the first six months of 2026.
According to the report, Ukraine’s growing dependence on robotic combat systems is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid. The main reason is a severe shortage of military personnel. Ukrainian ground forces are struggling to maintain adequate troop numbers across all 150 frontline brigades, pushing Kiev toward greater reliance on unmanned military equipment.